[Leica] Re: Fuji Acros

[jls at runbox.com (Jeffery Smith)]

Tom,

Thanks so much for your comprehensive response! That was exactly the
information I needed. Fortuitously, I just ordered and received metol,
sulfite, and carbonate from Photographer's Formulary last week. I'm good
to go.

Again, thanks so much.

Jeffery Smith
New Orleans, LA


-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+jls=runbox.com@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+jls=runbox.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
TTAbrahams@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2004 2:41 PM
To: lug@leica-users.org
Cc: jsmith342@cox.net
Subject: [Leica] Re: Fuji Acros 

Jeffery,
 I have been using Acros since 1999. Initially I got two rolls from
Fuji's 
product manager in Tokyo - plain brown boxes and a cryptic note in
Japanese "100 
ASA - Ultra fine grain Film". Since that time I have shot about 500
rolls of 
the stuff. My primary developer for it has been the old and venerable
Beutler 
that I mix myself. It also works well in D-76 1:1 for 9-9,5 minutes. The
high 
dilution mixes (Xtol 1:3, Rodinal 1:100 etc.) tend to give you very thin

negatives. There is still details in them, but they are too thin for my
tastes. 
Speed seems to be right on, 100 ASA, although with the D76 1:1 I tend to
rate it 
at 80. It is sensitive to over-agitation and will build up contrast
quickly. I 
do 3 turns of the can (Paterson 5 reel tanks) every 60 sec and that
seems to 
work. 
 The Beutler formula is a classic one. It was concocted by Willy Beutler
at 
Leica in the 50's as the means to get the sharpest possible negatives
out of 
35mm film. Easy to mix and it gives you eyeball cutting edges on the
negs! It is 
a two component developer and you mix A and B just before you pour it
into 
the tank.

                                                        BEUTLER
                                                            
                                                              A

Water ( 50C)

          800ml
Metol/Elon

              10grams
Sodium Sulfite

             50grams
Water to

             1000ml
                                                              B

Water (50C)

            800ml
Sodium Carbonate

         60grams
Water to

              1000ml

Use 1 part of A, 1 part of B and 8 parts of water ( 20c/68F) for
developing. 
I use 5 reel tanks so it is 150ml A, 150ml B and 1200ml of water for a 
Paterson tank.

There is a formula that adds 0,001% of Potassium Iodide to the A
solution. 
Supposedly it enhances the adjacency effect, but as Potassium Iodide is
getting 
difficult to get (it is quite toxic) I have used it with or without it
and 
there is no noticeable difference. The A and B solutions seems to last
for at 
least 2-3 month in their bottles.
 
                                                         TIMES ( all at
20C)

Acros @ 100                                              7-7,5 minutes
Delta  100                                                   8
minutes
EFKE 25 ASA                                             5,5-6 minutes
Pan F @ 40 ASA                                        7 minutes
Tri-X @ 400                                               12 minutes.

The Tri-X in Beutler gives you very sharp and tight grain - and a lot of
it 
too. It looks like shotgun pellets, but can be interesting as an effect.

 The Acros is better than Delta 100, grain is tighter and it has a bit
more 
midrange tones. I also have a problem with the Delta 100. It "foams"
heavily in 
the soft water we have here in Vancouver. It can actually pop the cap
off the 
tank! This also means that agitation is affected as the foam prevents
proper 
"sloshing" of the developer when you flip the tank.

 I have tried the Acros with a bunch of other developers too, but in my 
estimation, it works best in the Beutler and as a second choice, the D76
1:1. As 
most thin emulsion films, it is quite contrasty and you have to watch
for that 
in exposures - err on the underexposure side of things.
 Fuji had the old Neopan SS, a "photo-school" film that was very
forgiving, 
almost Vericrome Pan style but I think it is out production now. The
best of 
these old emulsion was the Neopan F, a 40 ASA film with a 50's emulsion,
silver 
rich and with smooth tones. They stopped production of it last year and
I miss 
it. You could do 2x3 ft prints from 35 negs with amazing sharpness and
tones 
- a Japanese version of the old Panatomic-X.
I hope this helps.
Best,
Tom A
-----------------
Tom Abrahamsson
Vancouver, BC
Canada
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